Kevin Ollie gets statement win against Michigan State

Nov. 9, 2012
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Connecticut guard R.J. Evans, center, holds up the trophy after beating Michigan State in their NCAA men's basketball game on Saturday on the Ramstein U.S. Air Force Base, in Ramstein, Germany. / Michael Probst, AP

by Scott M Gleeson, USA TODAY Sports

by Scott M Gleeson, USA TODAY Sports

All the questions and towering expectations about replacing a legend certainly won't go away, but after a 66-62 upset win over No. 14 Michigan State in the Armed Forces Classic, Ollie earned the statement win that all first-year coaches desire in their first game as head coach.

This win might have meant more.

If any coach in the country had something to prove, it was undoubtedly Ollie, who replaced Calhoun and is under a one-year contract while trying to motivate an undermanned team that is barred from playing in the postseason

"It's all about these players because they believed, they didn't go nowhere; they stayed loyal to the program. That's what it's all about." Ollie said on the ESPN broadcast.

Shabazz Napier led the charge with 25 points in a game where UConn played like the ranked team, leading Michigan State by as many as 16 points in the first half. The Spartans cut it to 62-60 late in the game, but four clutch free throws in the final 13 seconds from Napier sealed the win.

But should a season-opening victory over a ranked opponent be so surprising? It wasn't really Ollie's first game directing the Huskies. Calhoun, who was commentating on the game at press row, had missed over 40 games over his career due to issues ranging from cancer and NCAA suspension to food poisoning.

"He's always been by my side and I appreciate him so much," Ollie said of Calhoun after the game. "He told me don't lay on this, build on it and continue to make them play hard. It's a great win for our program, for the new era. A lot of people could have quit but they stayed here for what Coach Calhoun built."

Of all the things that seemed different in a game played at Ramstein Air Base in Germany and featuring tribute camouflage uniforms, Ollie roaming the sidelines seemed fitting.

What does the win mean? For the team, it's a minor statement and obvious confidence booster, but hardly a sign that UConn will be a major force. And remember, due to poor academic progress rate scores under Calhoun, UConn is barred from any postseason tournament (NCAA, NIT, Big East).

For Ollie, the win was a major statement because it showed the coach deserves more than the one-year contract he was given in August. With an undermanned roster and no NCAA tournament for motivation, it wasn't hard to argue Ollie had the most to prove of all the new coaches this season.

For a team that went from the preseason top five last year to losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Iowa State, this season's Connecticut squad seemed scrappier and played with more passion. But with no postseason tournament in reach, what were the Huskies playing so hard for? It definitely seemed as if they were fighting for their coach.

It wasn't just his first win -- it was a win that could help him remain as Connecticut's coach long-term. A statement win.